---
title: Command Reference
subtitle: ""
description: Reference guide of options for running Apollo MCP Server.
---

<ExperimentalFeature>

This feature is [experimental](/graphos/resources/feature-launch-stages#experimental). Your questions and feedback are highly valued—don't hesitate to get in touch with your Apollo contact or post in the [Apollo Community MCP Server Category](https://community.apollographql.com/c/mcp-server/41).

</ExperimentalFeature>

## Installation

### Linux / MacOS installer

To install or upgrade to the **latest release** of Apollo MCP Server:

```sh showLineNumbers=false
curl -sSL https://mcp.apollo.dev/download/nix/latest | sh
```

To install or upgrade to a **specific version** of Apollo MCP Server (recommended for CI environments to ensure predictable behavior):

```bash
# Note the `v` prefixing the version number
curl -sSL https://mcp.apollo.dev/download/nix/v0.2.1 | sh
```

If your machine doesn't have the `curl` command, you can get the latest version from the [`curl` downloads page](https://curl.se/download.html).

<Note>

These installation methods currently don't support Intel-based Macs. Support is planned for a future release.

</Note>

### Windows PowerShell installer

To install or upgrade to the **latest release** of Apollo MCP Server:

```bash
iwr 'https://mcp.apollo.dev/download/win/latest' | iex
```

To install or upgrade to a **specific version** of Apollo MCP Server (recommended for CI environments to ensure predictable behavior):

```bash
# Note the `v` prefixing the version number
iwr 'https://mcp.apollo.dev/download/win/v0.2.1' | iex
```

## Usage

```sh showLineNumbers=false
apollo-mcp-server [OPTIONS] --directory <DIRECTORY>
```

## Options

| Option                                                | Description                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|:------------------------------------------------------|:-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| `-d, --directory <DIRECTORY>`                         | The working directory to use. Defaults the current working directory.                                                                                                                                                                |
| `-s, --schema <SCHEMA>`                               | The path to the GraphQL API schema file.                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| `-c, --custom-scalars-config <CUSTOM_SCALARS_CONFIG>` | The path to the GraphQL custom_scalars_config file.                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| `-e, --endpoint <ENDPOINT>`                           | The GraphQL endpoint the server will invoke.<br />[default: `http://127.0.0.1:4000`]                                                                                                                                                 |
| `--header <HEADERS>`                                  | Headers to send to the endpoint.                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| `--sse-port <SSE_PORT>`                               | Start the server using the SSE transport on the given port (default: 5000).                                                                                                                                                          |
| `--sse-address <SSE_ADDRESS>`                         | The IP address to bind the SSE server to (default: 127.0.0.1).                                                                                                                                                                       |
| `--http-port <HTTP_PORT>`                             | Start the server using the Streamable HTTP transport on the given port (default: 5000).                                                                                                                                              |
| `--http-address <HTTP_ADDRESS>`                       | The IP address to bind the Streamable HTTP server to (default: 127.0.0.1).                                                                                                                                                           |
| `-i, --introspection`                                 | Expose the schema to the MCP client through `introspect` and `execute` tools. [Learn more](/apollo-mcp-server/guides/#from-schema-introspection).                                                                                    |
| `-u, --uplink`                                        | Enable use of uplink to get the schema and persisted queries (requires `APOLLO_KEY` and `APOLLO_GRAPH_REF`). [Learn more](/apollo-mcp-server/guides/#from-graphos-managed-persisted-queries).                                        |
| `-x, --explorer`                                      | Expose a tool to open queries in Apollo Explorer (requires `APOLLO_KEY` and `APOLLO_GRAPH_REF`).                                                                                                                                     |
| `-o, --operations [<OPERATIONS>...]`                  | Operation files to expose as MCP tools. [Learn more](/apollo-mcp-server/guides/#from-operation-files).                                                                                                                               |
| `--manifest <MANIFEST>`                               | The path to the persisted query manifest containing operations.                                                                                                                                                                      |
| `--disable-type-description`                          | Disable operation root field types in tool description.                                                                                                                                                                              |
| `--disable-schema-description`                        | Disable schema type definitions referenced by all fields returned by the operation in the tool description.                                                                                                                          |
| `-m, --allow-mutations <ALLOW_MUTATIONS>`             | [default: `none`]<br /><br />Possible values:<ul><li>`none`: Don't allow any mutations</li><li>`explicit`: Allow explicit mutations, but don't allow the LLM to build them</li><li>`all`: Allow the LLM to build mutations</li></ul> |
| `-l, --log <LOG_LEVEL>`                               | [default: `INFO`]<br /><br />Possible values:<ul><li>`TRACE`</li><li>`DEBUG`</li><li>`INFO`</li><li>`WARN`</li><li>`ERROR`</li></ul>                                                                                                 |
| `-h, --help`                                          | Print help (see a summary with `-h`).                                                                                                                                                                                                |

Specifying either the SSE port or address (or both) will enable the SSE transport.
Specifying either the HTTP port or address (or both) will enable the Streamable HTTP transport.

### Mapping rover dev options

You can use the [`rover dev`](/rover/commands/dev) command of Rover CLI v0.31 or later to run an Apollo MCP Server instance for local development. 

Running `rover dev --mcp` starts an MCP Server. Additional options, `--mcp*`, directly configure the MCP Server. 

The mapping of `rover dev` options to MCP Server options: 

| `rover dev` option                                    | Equivalent MCP Server option                          |
|:------------------------------------------------------|:------------------------------------------------------|
| `--mcp-directory <DIRECTORY>`                         | `-d, --directory <DIRECTORY>`                         |
| `--mcp-sse-port <PORT>`                               | `--sse-port <PORT>`                                   |
| `--mcp-sse-address <ADDRESS>`                         | `--sse-address <ADDRESS>`                             |
| `--mcp-http-port <PORT>`                              | `--http-port <PORT>`                                  |
| `--mcp-http-address <ADDRESS>`                        | `--http-address <ADDRESS>`                            |
| `--mcp-introspection`                                 | `-i, --introspection`                                 |
| `--mcp-uplink`                                        | `-u, --uplink`                                        |
| `--mcp-operations [<OPERATIONS>...]`                  | `-o, --operations [<OPERATIONS>...]`                  |
| `--mcp-header <HEADERS>`                              | `--header <HEADERS>`                                  |
| `--mcp-manifest <MANIFEST>`                           | `--manifest <MANIFEST>`                               |
| `--mcp-custom-scalars-config <CUSTOM_SCALARS_CONFIG>` | `-c, --custom-scalars-config <CUSTOM_SCALARS_CONFIG>` |
| `--mcp-allow-mutations <ALLOW_MUTATIONS>`             | `-m, --allow-mutations <ALLOW_MUTATIONS>`             |
| `--mcp-disable-type-description`                      | `--disable-type-description`                          |
| `--mcp-disable-schema-description`                    | `--disable-schema-description`                        |

